Arbitrator Donald Spero has issued an award in a dispute between The city of Miami and the Miami Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #20.
Grievant was employed as a police officer for approximately nine years at the time of his termination. Prior to his employment with the police department, grievant had been employed at a PCS Metro store. In October of 2007 Grievant was working at the PCS store when it was robbed and a manager of the store was shot and killed during the course of the robbery.
In December of 2012 the Miami police received a tip implicating grievant in the robbery. In February 2013 Grievant was called in for an interview with a homicide detective concerning the robbery. While the issue was contested, Arbitrator Spero found that grievant invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and left the interview. Grievant was assigned to Relieved of Duty (ROD) status and was required to remain at home, while continuing to be paid, from 8 to 4 every workday.
On April 27, 2016 the City terminated grievant's employment. The City articulated two reasons for the termination. The first was grievant's refusal to answer questions in the February 2013 interview. The second alleged several failures of grievant to comply with the ROD status. The matter was grieved and submitted to Arbitrator Spero for resolution.
Arbitrator Spero described the first issue as :
whether the grievant was protected by the Fifth Amendment and by "Garrity" rights from answering questions propounded to him during a police department inquiry on February 11, 2013.
Answering the question in the affirmative, Arbitrator Spero noted that grievant's lawyer in the criminal case advised the City that grievant would not give a statement unless he was given Garrity rights. The Arbitrator concluded:
[Grievant] was entitled to decline to answer the City's inquiries without being afforded Garrity rights. Through his attorney he offered to do so. If he declined to respond after being afforded Garrity rights he would have been subject to discipline. The City in its judgment determined that it wanted to preserve the rights to prosecute [Grievant] Thus by preserving its opportunity to prosecute based on his statement it abandoned its right to inquire.
Arbitrator Spero rejected the City's argument that grievant had waived his Fifth Amendment rights when he initially took his oath as a new police officer essentially swearing to uphold and defend the law and to faithful perform all of his duties as a place officer. That oath did not expressly waive any rights, and adopting the city's position would mean that no officer had any Fifth Amendment rights.
On the issue of of grievant's failure to adhere to the ROD restrictions, however, the arbitrator found that the City had established one of its claims, justifying "severe" discipline. Accordingly Arbitrator Spero ordered grievant's reinstatement but denied him back pay for his time off.
According to news reports, When Miami fires cops, they usually get their jobs back — even if they’re murder suspects, the City will seek to overturn the award.
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